MUSIC. art. CULTURE. HAMILTON. NEW ZEALAND

To celebrate NZ Music Month (ha!), we thought we’d take a look – from our perspective - at the state of the original music scene here in Kirikiriroa, warts n all. In a city where the teaching of 'the arts' seems to be being compromised, it's easy to get down about how art and music in Hamilton are valued. It appears to some degree that there are a huge amount of people that are interested in having original live music in their city, but way fewer who actively support it or get involved. That's not necessarily a criticism, more of an observation, and of course there are often valid reasons why this is the case. Anyway...here goes with the good, the bad and the ugly.

​The good

Let’s open with the positives. Important this, because there are some, and that hasn’t always been the case.

Venues – live music venues are in threat around the world. This is a fact. Gentrification and noise issues abound. So in relative terms, we are doing well here in Hamilton, there’s a good selection of places to play. There’s Nivara Lounge of course, with its excellent new PA and people that can operate it…a big plus! Biddy’s and Diggers still welcome new original bands. The Meteor is almost through its revamp. Creative Waikato is an option for live shows, and Zeal does its thing with the underage crowd. The Yot Club in Raglan, if we are allowed to count that has also been cranking this last few months.

Free FM plays local bands a lot and does what it can to support local music.

Shows by bigger bands are happening again – The Bats, The Wedding Present, The Chills (in Raglan) - and some are selling out. Huzzah!

There is finally an independent shop in town that sells records – ‘needle in the hay’ - on Racquet Lane off Barton Street.

Along with ‘Hamtown Smakdown’, there is now another annual music festival in the city, the multi-genre ‘Future City Festival’.

The variety of bands we have and rich history is something to be proud of. Check out the RNZ documentary piece about Hamilton Music recorded at Future City Festival in March.

Devilskin is a local success story, which shows you can succeed if based here.

The bad

Are these issues Hamilton specific? Who knows.

The image of Hamilton music to much (not all) of NZ is that it is nothing more than metal bands.

Live crowds are patchy, ranging from ‘low’ to ‘sold-out’.

Many, though definitely not all, out of town bands are reluctant to come back to Hamilton having played to low crowds in the past.

Uni and Wintec students seem very disconnected from any live scene.

There are many well-meaning people/groups doing their own things but it’s having little lasting positive effect on the health of a local music scene.

The ugly

Again while some of these may not be only issues in Hamilton, they are real issues hindering the development of our local music scene.

There is no manned full-time radio station dedicated to new original music as there is in other cities. Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and even Palmerston North have this. Grrrrr.

There’s not one place where bands and lovers of independent music go to hang out on non-gig nights. Somewhere to go with a jukebox full of good new/old music, young and old listening to good music and socializing outside of watching live music. Experience shows that this is how bands form and scenes are built.

Practice spaces are hugely limited, if available at all.

Very few new bands are being formed, and hardly any of them are young and exciting.

Conclusion

Dunno really! Are we any worse off than other cities? We might be. Although for a city of 150,000 people I’m not sure. I can say from experience that it’s not a great place to be in a band or a lover of independent original live music, that’s for sure. Yes, we are only 80 minutes from Auckland and the neat shows and bands that they have. But it could be so much better. The big worry is where it is all heading, where will we be in five years’ time if the lack of new bands continues to be a thing. Ah well. What can you do eh?

Okay, I know I’m probably going to be criticized by some for not being ‘now’ and ‘today’ but I have been involved in the Hamilton Music scene at some level for most of my life.

In the 80’s and 90’s we had a thriving music scene here in the Waikato. Yes there were a lot of ‘cover’ bands but that was how you got out in front of audiences to work and learn your craft. And there was a huge amount of original music happening as well. A couple of years back doublebass released the ‘Hamiltune’ album of 80’s Hamilton bands to support the Vilagrad rebuild. The response was immediate and enormous. There was just that much out there.

So what happened?

In my opinion, a lot of things combined. One was technology. As recording , production techniques and equipment got better and better it became harder and harder to get an equivalent type of sound live.
2nd was diversity. Now you have anything and everything you could possibly want to listen to. Pop, Rock, Reggae, Alternative, Punk, Disco, Metal, Nu Metal, Hair Metal……. This has split the audience, they have so much to choose from.
3rd was EDM. Honestly can’t claim to be a fan, but do acknowledge its place in music culture. But venue mangers soon figured out that they could get a couple of house DJ’s for less than a 5 piece band…and they take up less room, so more space for punters.

BUT…I have to say, I am started to have a bit of hope. People like Ian Dugan and the Htown Wiki, this forum, Hum and Free FM are all working their butts off to revive the Hamilton music scene. And I am starting to see more live music around the town. This can only get better, but we have to support it.

BUT…..(and here’s the bit I’ll cop it for)…it doesn’t all have to be ‘Young’ and exciting. There are a lot of extremely talented musicians in Hamilton, (No, I don’t include myself in that group, but I am of that age). But getting support from local media (Hum and Free excluded) is very very difficult if you’re not the latest trend. Maybe a conscious effort to include some of us old fogeys more. There is a huge untapped wealth of knowledge and experience just sitting there.

And ‘commercial’ doesn’t have to be a swear word. Things get labeled ‘commercial’ usually because lots of people like them. Big fan of originality but being ‘different’ doesn’t automatically qualify as good.

One last piece of advice……there’s power in numbers. When I first hit the Hamilton band scene there were a dozen bands all fighting for the same gigs. Several of us got together, formed a collective of sorts and found a booking agent. So maybe some of the gigs weren’t 5 star (or even 1 star) but I played 3 or 4 nights a week, every week for many years.

Hamilton once had a great muso community. No reason we can't have it again.

Phil

Reply

HUP

11/5/2017 04:59:38 pm

Lots of interesting points, thanks for commenting. 'Young and exciting' was mentioned because most of the new music we like is being made by bands in their early twenties or learlier. Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Palmerston North, Auckland - all these cities have great new young bands playing really good stuff. Hamilton seems to be behind in this regard for whatever reason. Not having an active 'student radio' station is a big part of this - each of those centres has one. Palmy even has the council-funded 'The Stomach' - a low cost venue/studio/practice facility - can you imagine HCC ever funding that? Anyway thanks again :)